NUI Galway ranks 3rd in Ireland, the top Irish University outside Dublin, and 112th in Europe. NUI Galway continues to perform strongly in the QS World University Rankings, ranked 259 this year out of the world’s top 1000 universities considered in this year’s QS ranking, maintaining its position among the world’s elite educational institutions. NUI Galway now ranks 3rd in Ireland, the top Irish University outside Dublin, and 112th in Europe. Since 2014 NUI Galway has moved up 25 places, and it is the only Irish institution to increase its ranking year on year in in eight of the previous nine years.  NUI Galway continues to perform strongly in its international scores, reflecting the welcoming nature and vibrant international population of Galway city.    Speaking on the announcement of this year’s QS rankings, President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said: “NUI Galway’s ranking this year highlights the continued performance of our university across a range of activities.  We’re particularly pleased to see the diverse international nature of our university reflected this year, underlining the attractiveness of NUI Galway for international staff and students in Ireland’s most distinctively multicultural city.  “Now ranked as third in Ireland, and in the top 120 in Europe, our consistent performance over the past decade is evidence of the quality of our research and teaching programmes. This is a tremendous endorsement of the people and culture of our university. While conscious that rankings are only one measure of our activity, we know from our alumni, from employers and from policy makers that they are a useful and important international benchmark.  On behalf of NUI Galway, I am delighted to see the commitment of our entire university community recognised and respected in this way.”  Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is named the world’s leading university for a record-breaking eighth consecutive year. The top three institutions remain American: MIT is followed by Stanford University (2nd) and Harvard University (3rd). The UK’s top institution - and Europe’s is the University of Oxford, which has risen to fourth with the University of Cambridge, dropping to 7th. The full rankings can be found at www.TopUniversities.com from Wednesday, 19 June, 2019. ENDS

In celebration of the city of culture and the wealth of dramatic talent in Galway, NUI Galway are partnering with local theatre practitioners and emerging dramatists to bring a new festival to Galway from 20-27 July. The Summer Drama Festival is co-hosted by the University’s Societies Office and Drama Society. The festival will feature nine productions over eight days, ranging from award-winning student-led productions to established theatre practitioners. There will be a variety of performances for all ages and interests, from comedy to thought provoking political satire, and a show for children. All productions will take place in the Cube Theatre in Áras na Mac Léinn, NUI Galway. Riona Hughes, Societies Officer at NUI Galway and Festival Artistic Director, said: “The Festival is a partnership, which facilitates the city and the campus to come together, to showcase the wonderful theatrical talent in Galway during July, when the city is bursting with art and full of appreciative audiences looking to find the hidden gems and experience what Galway artists have to offer.” Well-known local Galway theatre practitioners will reprise previous award winning productions as well as showcase original work including: Little John Nee will be performing ‘Small Halls and Potholes’, an evening of eccentric songs and strange stories, a show that celebrates all that is weird and wonderful about the Irish summer Gerry Conneely will stage a comedy double bill, bringing back the acclaimed one-act ‘Shakespeare in Connemara’, along with a new one-act comedy ‘Fashion Show’. He will also be performing his moving one-man- show based on Patrick McGills chilling recounting of a night in the First World War trenches ‘The Great Push’. Hot Potato Productions will reprise their Galway Fringe award-winning one act ‘Just Guff’ Based on factual events about a series of revelations which turn everything upside down for an aging party political hack Sean T. Visionation’s ‘Behind Closed Doors’, fresh from its success at the Galway Theatre Festival, devised with actors living in direct provision in Galway, exposes life in the direct provision system. The Summer Drama Festival will present an Irish Student Drama Award (ISDA) winning production NUI Galway’s Dramsoc’s ‘Alone It Stands’ by John Breen. ‘Alone It Stands’ tells the tale of the 1978 rugby match when Irish provincial side Munster infamously beat the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. Current students and alumni of NUI Galway’s O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance will also perform during the Festival. Recent graduate Eibhleann Caffrey will be staging an original work ‘Recognition’, which focuses on two college students and their trials and tribulations. War/War/War student theatre company will stage ‘From There We Saw The Stars’ fresh from their success as the Manchester Fringe Festival. This piece takes inspiration from Dante’s Inferno exploring how our ever-changing understanding of spirituality, sin and souls morphs the world around us. Beluga Theatre will be reprising the children’s show ‘Marty Moncrieff the Teddy Bear Thief’ for the Summer Drama Festival after their sold-out run at the Galway Theatre Festival. Billed as Toy Story meets Father Ted, the play features live music from a four-piece band and beautiful puppetry designed by Yvonne Lydon. Tickets will be on sale soon and information can be found at www.galwaydrama.com. -Ends-

The School of Law NUI Galway has been named ‘Law School of the Year 2019' at the Irish Law Awards, securing the prestigious accolade for the first time. Outperforming the other Law Schools, NUI Galway's School of Law has a strong reputation for research and has made significant changes to its undergraduate law programmes over the past year. The School has also introduced a number of new law degrees, to include: Law & Business, new 2019 Law & Human Rights, new 2019 Law & Taxation, new 2020 Law Criminology & Criminal Justice, new 2020 In a year of firsts, the School of Law were part of legal history in March of this year when the highest court in Ireland, the Supreme Court, would sit in the Aula Maxima, NUI Galway. This was be the first time that the Supreme Court would sit outside of a courthouse since it returned to the Four Courts in 1932, the first time it would sit in Galway and only the third time the court would ever sit outside of Dublin Rebecca McKittrick, a Masters graduate from NUI Galway’s School of Law was selected as a finalist in the ‘Law Student of the Year’ category.  Additionally, the Hon Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness a great friend of the School of Law and Chair of the University’s Governing Authority received the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the ceremony.  Dr Charles O’Mahony Head of the School of Law said: “This is wonderful recognition of the School of Law, Irish Centre for Human Rights and Centre for Disability Law and Policy. We have strengths across research and learning, teaching and assessment.  This is also tremendous recognition of our collective contribution to our city, region and broader society through our scholarship and work on law and public policy engagement.  We were delighted to see our student Rebecca McKittrick selected as a finalist in the ‘Law Student of the Year’ category. The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ conferred on the Hon Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness is fitting recognition of her extraordinary career and enduring commitment to the law, justice and public service.”  Professional Work Placement / Study Aboard All students studying law at NUI Galway have the opportunity for students to gain real world experience through work placement or study abroad in the third year of their degree.  The School of Law has partnered with local, regional, national and internationally recognised law firms and businesses who offer high quality professional work experience for our law students. Students can also choose to avail of the opportunity to study abroad with partner institutions, transforming their university degree into a truly global experience.  The School of Law has partnered with leading universities in Australia, Canada, China, Europe and the United States.  Innovation in Teaching, Learning & Assessment The School of Law works closely with students to support transition from secondary school to university, and to build the skills necessary for their law degree and career.  NUI Galway places the development of these skills at the heart of our law degrees.  In first year, students spend their first four weeks creating a solid skills foundation by concentrating on research, case analysis, statutory interpretation, legal citation and legal writing.  Once foundational skills are in place, students are then introduced to substantive subjects.  School of Law Research & Events The School of Law is committed to engaging with the legal professions through events that inform public policy and practice.  The School delivers a wide range of conferences, summer schools, lunchtime talks and seminars every year.  These events are open to the public, complement student learning and provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points to local legal community.  The School of Law has an excellent research reputation. Staff publish with leading publishers and University presses (Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Hart & Routledge), and in the leading international law journals. A strong focus on public policy engagement has always been a key strength of School and Centres and in its research and teaching.  The School of Law also has an excellent track record of securing competitive research funding. Congratulating the School of Law on their award, President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “On behalf of colleagues at NUI Galway, I extend warmest congratulations to Charles and his team in the School of Law on securing the title of Law School of the Year at the Irish Law Awards. This recognises and respects the immense work and dedication which the School has demonstrated over recent years in providing excellent opportunities for students and for developing a range of innovations to our distinctive course offerings.  I am also delighted to see the Hon Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Justice McGuinness has been an adjunct professor at the School of Law since 2005.  She is one of Ireland’s leading jurists and has been a progressive and reforming force in Irish legal history over her lifetime.   As Chair of NUI Galway’s Governing Authority since 2013 she has made an enormous contribution to the governance of our University. On behalf of NUI Galway I extend our warmest congratulations as her achievements are so justly recognised by the Irish Law Awards in this way.”  Awards for Galway Law Firms A number of Galway based law firms were also honoured at the Irish Law Awards. Alastair Purdy & Co. Solicitors received the Connacht/Ulster & Munster Employment Law Firm of the Year award.  MacSweeney & Company received the Connacht/Ulster Law Firm of the Year, Connacht/Ulster Litigation Law Firm of the Year and the Connacht/Ulster & Munster Family Law Firm of the Year awards. Blake & Kenny Solicitors received the Connacht/Ulster Property Law Firm/Team/Lawyer of the Year award. ENDS